hucks



B. C. BUCKS. MEANS FOR STARTING THE ENGINES 0F A EROPLMIES.

APPLICM'ION FILED SEPT. 26.19".

4 SKINS-SHEET l'.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

B. C. HUCKS.

MEANS FOR STARHNG THE ENGINES 0F AEROPLANES.

u-wcanou HLED SEPT. 25. I918.

1 ,3 1 3, 693. Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

2 27 4 snzns-snsn 2.

.519 q A A \J- x) Inventor AI'PlICA'HOII HLED SEPT. 26. I9!!- Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

1 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I nvc ntor fitter-aymlh 'Il Ififlfl l llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll II C SW! 5 a i H V r .L El & a -4 B. c. Hucks.

MEANS FOR STARHNG THE ENGINES 0F AEROPLANES.

APPL CA ION FILED SEPT-25. l9!- Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

4 SIIIITS-SHEET 4.

In ventar filf 0 rn e y nnnrrinnncnsnnnsfn'ucxs. or Lennon, NG AND, nssmnon 1:0 m nsnuwsc'runmocomrmrmnsn, or wnsrmms'rnn, Lonnon, Brown, 7

rolts'rlm rmo Be itlmoi ll: h H.UUK a subject --of the. King of Great Britain; and residentof 5,1Queenls .Gate

, cation.

Terrace,':London,fEngland, have inventeda certain new" and'usefni' Improvement in Means forQStarting' the Engines of Aero planes,..of which the following; is a specifi- This invention relates to 'a'power-driven devieewfor starting the engines of {aeroplanes, '-ahd hasfor object to enable the pwpellcrofan aeroplane to be swung, at starting, power der-ived from the engine of a motorcar;

According to-the invention, the motor car cmployedfor the purpose referred to carries, atjabou't' the average level of the hub of the propeller of an acre lane standin on the ground,- a sibstantial y horizontal s iaft (heioinafiteri termed the starter-shaft) which at one end is adapted for: being geared to the engine-shaft 0 the car and at the other end is adapted for being clutched to the hub of' the propeller; the starter-shaft. which is"capa 1e of angular displacement about its point of su iport on the car and is drivenat a speedsu cient for swinging-the propeller but less than that of the propeller when the latter'is driven'by the aeroplane engine, being provided with means whereby, on the aeroplane engine starting under its own power so us because the speed of revolution of the propeller to exceed that of the starter-shaft and thus put an end to the efl'octivc driving engagement between them, the starter-Shaft will be'antomat'ically withdrawn from its clutched connection with the propeller hub, with the result that the car will be free to move out of the way of the aeroplane before the latter begins to advance.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a convenient embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is :1 art side elevation of a motor car provi ed with starting mechanism for enabling the propeller of an aeroplane .to be swung, a portion of such a propeller being shown adjacent to the motor car. Fig.v 2 is a part front elevation of the same motor 'car, showing' the starting mechanism hut omitting those rtions of the car which are not required or the purpose of explaining the invention. Fig. 3 is a part side elevation (as in Fig. 1) showing the.

' nonunion m September 20', 191e.'-srierno. 266,378,

e e iac u n of mean nes Patented Aug. 19,191Q;

cl-utch-irechanism-for throwing the .ena pine shaftof the motor cari into ar,

natively, with.- the propeller she -.of thecar and with the storm-shaft appe the invention. Fig. 4 isQa. side elevatio j partly in section, s owingthe outerend o the telescopic starter 'shaft and the hub-portion of anaeroplane propeller as illustrated rtamingto in Fig. 1, the res ective clutch-members be '65. aft-extension bein retracted.

ing dlsenga rom oneanother and the telescopic Figs. 5 and 6- are face views 0 the clutchinem'bers on the outer end of the startersh'aft and on the propeller-hub respectively.

Fig. 7 showsthe periphery of the clutchmember on the propeller hub, developed in the fiat. 'Fig. 8 is a. side elevation, partly in section,'similar to Fig.4, showing a modified construction (lithe-parts illustrated-in said figure. Fig. 9'is a side elevation, partly in section, showin the tel tension of Fig. 8 m the exten ed positlo'n. Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive are drawn to a large scale than Fi 1 and 2.

I So far as t e general arran ment of the apparatus is concerned, it will e seen on referring to Figs. 1 and 2 that upon the chassis 11 of the motor car is mounted a. substantially npright pillar 12 which, in the example illustrated, is held steady b means of struts 13, 14 and a stay 15. At a= ut the average level of the hub 16 of the propeller 17 (Fig. 1) of an aeroplane (the remainder of which omitted) when standing on the round, the pillar 12 carries a horizontal aring 18 wherein is journaled ashort shaft 19 extending longitudinally of the car, this shaft 19 having fast upon it a sprocket wheel 20 around which, and around a simi lar wheel 21 on a continuation 220i the engine shaft, is passed an endless sprocketchain 23 for transmitting motion to the shaft 19 as hereinafter ,ex-plained. shaft 19 is coupled by a. universal joint 24 to the substantially horizontal starter-shaft ic shaft-ex- The 25, which constantlytends to rise about the means of a cord 31 fastened to the ring 28 and detachably hooked as at 32 to a fixed part of the car. i

The starter-shaft 25 is telescopic, being made tubular and fitted internally with an internal member 33-which is telescogicallyextensible for the purpose of ena. ling a clutch-member on the outer end of theextension to'be en god .Witha clutch-member on the hub of t e aeroplane-propeller; the

- telescopic. shaft-extension 33 constantly retracted tending under spring-'action toasume the sition.

'In the Construtindl'lustmtedin Fi' 1,

and! -to-7, the shaft-'extension-33 is 0 rectangular shape in cross-section and fitted to slide through a correspondingly shaped mpertiire in a gland 34 at. the outer end of the tubular main portion 259i the shaft, so

that the two portions of" the shaftare constrained to revolvetogether asone, whatever the amoiin't to which the extension 33' may' for the time being be drawn'out. The shaft-' extension 33 earnes a gimbal-ring 35 which is rotatable, on a pair .of 'trunnions 36, be

tween the, limbs of a--fork a'l-fixed onjthe outer end of the extension ,thegiinbaI-ring beinghspanned' diametrically bya cross-pin 38 -w ich is adapted to enga'Ee inone 'direc'tionjof rotation of thesha t 2 a, pair of undercut notches'39'openm outin the front edge ofthev wall of a-clutc -member constitutedb a cylindricalnfitting 40 fixed coneentrical on and projecting forward from the'hu' portion 16 ofythe arenplane' propeller 17 (Fig.1 with which the starting apparatus is to coi'iperate. The undercut notches 39 are so formed as to insure not only their easy engagement. with the cross pin;,38 before the starting. operation is commenced, and the maintenance-of a firm driving connection between said cross-piri and the fittingfiO during the starting operation, but alsothehutomatic'disengagement by bolts to the raised central portion of an -0pen spider-frame 44 which is bolted at 45 to the ropeller-hub 16 so as to project forward mm a plate 46 superposed concentrically on the face of the hub.

The rear end of the shaft-extensioii 33 carries a collar 47 which is fitted to slide within the tubular main portion 25 of the under stress'for-all positions of tension 33.

"fitting 40.

its own Power drives 'the pro i 17 and fitting 40 have advanced throng the starter-shaft, this collar having an e e 48 to which is attached one end of a, coile tension-spring 49 theopposite end of which is fixed to a convenient abutment (not shown) situated so far toward the inner endof the shaft 25 as to insure'the spriniremaining t e shaft-e1;-

In operation, assuming the motor car to be drawn u inj proper' position relatively to the aerop ane whereof the propeller is to be started, the: shaf-t-extension33 is drawn 7 out from the main portion 250i the starter-' shaftsoiar'asmay be necessar in order perm t of the gimba-l-mounte cross-pin eing' englaged with the notches'39 of the upon cast ofi' fromits' attachment to the car at 32, the starter-shaft'25 33 I is maneuvered .byhand so as to canse" the cross-pin -3.8't'o enter the notches 39a' and the shaft 25, 33, bein'gthen set in 'tjnotion'in the a helcord 31 having'been therej ropriate' direction. (as hereinafter explained), the 1 propeller 17 is' caii'sed to anticipate in'the rotatlonof-the starter-she t. V soon-b wever, as the aeroplane engine, starting under" speed greater t an that ofthe aft'j25 33, the notches 39 slip away' from thecrossin 38 with the result that, when the pro e or small angle necessary 'for bringing the char, at a months ofhth-e notches opposite to the pin,

the spring 49 immediately causes the retraction of-tlie shaft-extension 33 within the at The same time the springs 26 and cords 26" cause theentlre starter-shaft to swing upward clear of the propeller, so that the car-is ena bl'ed to'inoveont of the-path of the aeroplane before the latter begins to travel 'main portion 25 of the starter-shaft, while over the ground 'on the removal of the usual checks (not shown) preparatory to the commencement of flight. e V

In order that'the sprocket wheel 21 may receive motion from the shaft 22 when the car is at rest, the wheel 21 is rotatable about the shaft and'has formed upon, its huh a clutch-member 50 with which one end of a double-ended dog clutch 51 splined upon the shaft can be made to cngageby nicansof a clutch-fork on a transverse shaft 53; the other end of the-clutch 51 being adapted for engagement. with a clutch-member 54 on one member of the universal joint 55 of tho Cardan shaft .56 of the motor car. The clutch 51 is shown in Fig. 3 as in the mid or neutral positionwl crcin it transu-iits motion from the shaft 22 neither to the (-ardan shaft 56 nor to the sprocket wheel 21 so that, while thqear remains stationary, the starter-shaft 25 not actuated. clutch 51 being enga ed with the clutchmclnber 50, the sproc (ct wheel 21 will be caused to revolve (assuming the engine to On the iso' mounted "in I eonvenientfi roitinntj "to the. drivel-Fin; seat ,fi8'iand'ooul'i ed in a, rod 59-,to v

an armfiOJon the shaft} 53: {I go; handflerei- 57 works oi'er liqufidr tnt or equivalent plate 61 to wh chi-it' can be pinned asat 92 to re;

tain it in either of its positions when neccssal'y; f Y- I 3% -It is to beobserred that the sha 622, from ii'hibh' motionis tmnsmitted, alternatively, to the Cardan shaft. of the niotor ear or to the starter-shah 25, itself driven through-usual; change-s I and 'rei'ersing gene not showingint e-gear-box of the car. enee'the iajt;22,'andoon nently also the statrter-shattfi for tnrningt e propeller-17;:mayfbofmade to revolve at any sgeed and in either-direction, aswouldibe t e .A

beingidriren;

e'rent aeroplanes, so'ine having r0- pellers revoking-in one direction andpt ers in the opposite diroctiom' it being 'understood that the respective pro lersxare pro 39-openin'g inQthe pro "1- dir'eetion."

e -l ne ow. h tionof-starter-shaft and associated, clutchmer'nber's upon sa'id shaft and n on the pro-. as i] ustrated. in?

vwall 0 the clutch-member 64 so as to form in efi'ect a universal joint therewith.

The shiift-extens'lion 63 is'normally held retracted within the shaft proper Fig. by means of a. spring 67'coiled in compression between a diaphrngm 68 forming a istop to limit the: rearward movement-of the shaftextension, and washerfi!) onthe rear eml of anaxial tail-rod 70-fixed to the inner end of the shaft-eiitensionand projecting rearward through a hole in the dia ihrag'm. '1 thin the hollow shaft 25, the sha t-extension 63 carries a key 171 which, when the extension is drawn outward (against the stress of the spring 67) in order that the clutchn ember 64 may beengaged with the crosspm 65, pas'ses through a gate 72 into a re shaft-extension the spring (se'c'E Fig; Inoperation, asslnnmgthe-motor car tu bo- 25. f

so as to'eanse thenotches 66 in the clutchmember 64 to eng'lgelthe cross-pin fiz'h J-The 1 if-the road wheels-bf the cal-f wereemw lwngaeeoand r for (1i (i modified e0zistrnc-' '-71 opposite to the gate 72, through which air of diametri action of i the springs 26, swings upwani cos 73 provided in a sleeve 7+ fixed within the shaft 25; the recess 73 being wideuthan the gate that,when the keyis in. the 1recess, the shaftextension (331ml, bewturnedabout its axis relatively mine-shan-pm .c. 25 so far'as to enable the key 71- tos'onga nnder'thestrcss of the'spring (iLbehimlfl gate '72 "and prevent theifiaetraclion of. Ith

in proper position frelatirnlyti ltiie aeip'y j i. plane which-is to shirt/ed,- tl ie sliafit ex--' tension drawn out until the ktzy i'tliasi missed through, the gate 72into-theuuwss+fi 3, theltey being made to engage; a-indi0f bated inLFig. 9, with \rhat uiay-beiterniod siri;

attachment at'32, the shaft 25 is 'nnineuveied' shaft-25 being set inmotron, rotatimFis -"IIG' transmitted in: the direction" of the armW$- in Figs. 8 and-9 from this shaft to thesh'aft? gxtensiun fia and thence to'the aeroplanef" propeller, the engagement of the key 71' inn the reees-s 73; and of the'notches o6 with the' eruns-pin 6 5, eontimli ug; as long-asthe speed of rotation of the-,shaft 2:3;03 exceedslhat; 2'

of the 'propellelz- As -sooii,'-however, as 'tlid aeroplane engine, startingfliinder' its own power, drives the pmpeller at a speed greater than that of "the shaft 25, (53,the eii'gngm h ment of the cross-pin 65 with the notches 66 causes; the shaft-extension G3 to route faster than the ahaft 25, 63 through the small. angle necessary for-bringing thehey the key is innuediatel, retracted by the spring 67 so as-w with raw the notches (i6 of the clutch-member 64 out of engagement with tlnrcross-pin 65am] bring the shaftextension 63 from the' msition shown in Fig. 9 to lhat shown in figl 8, while atthe same time the shaft 25, 63, being freell to'the clear of the propeller, so that the ear is enabled to move out of the path of the aeropiane before, the latter begins to travel over thdground on the removal of the usual cheeks. i

In, the exampleillustrated. the. cross-pin Q5 extends between the'jaws ,75 of a'hifurcated hracketlfi fixed concentrically ontho front of the hub 16 of the aeroplane propeller. V

Bythe use of the invention, the engines of any n umher of aeroplanes drawn up on ah aerodnnne can be readily stariefl' in quick suece eion by means of a single motor car,. which'can be run from-one aeroplane to anotheras mqured.

What is claimedis 1. The combination with a motor car, of a power-driven device for [starting the eng m'es ofaeroplanes, comprising .a substantndl horizontal shaft capable 'of angular dlsp acementabout its point of support on the car and-adapted atone end for bein geared to the engine-shaft of the-car an at the other end for being detachably clutched to thehub'of the aeroplane propeller substantially'asset forth.

2. 'ihe combination with a motor-ear of a power-dri'renrdevice for starting the engrace of aeroplanes,'. coiiiprising an upright pillar fixed to the chassis ofthe motor car, a substantially horizontal bearing carried by said pillar, a short shaft jonrnaled in said bearing, sprocket wheels respectivelv on saidshaft and on ashaftdriven-by t e motor an endless car engine and connected b sprocket chain, a substantial y horizontal s iafteoupled to said short shaft by a uni-- veisal joint, a clutch-member 'fast'on the 'tl 1e aeroplane pro =onter end ofsaid substantially horizontal shaft andadnpted for being detaehably engaged with a elutch-membeeon the hnb'of lleryand a spring tending to more sai substantially horiiontal shaft outfof' its normal horizontal position,

substantially as set forth. i

3. The combination with a motorcar, of "a pmver-di'iyen device for starting the engines of aeroplanes, comprising an angularly movablesh'aft normally substantially horirpntal,

adapted at oneend for being geared to the engine shaft of the. car and at the other. end for being detachably clutched to the hubof the aeroplane propeller; means mounted on the chassisof'the-car for supporting said shaft and'sp'ring connections between said supporting means and the shaft tending to more said shaft out of its normal horizontal position, substantially asset forth.

4.. The comhinat? n w] "1 a motor car, of a mwer-driren dcvir for: arting the engines of aeroplanes. comprising an angularly mov able shaft normally substantially. horizontal, adapted at one end for being geared to the engine shaft of the car and at the other end for being detachahly clutched to the hub of the aeroplane propeller. means mounted on the chassis of the car for supporting said shaft, spring connections between said supporting means and the shaft tending to move said shaft out of its normal horizontal position, and a releasable member for holding said shaft substantially horizontal against the action of said spring, substantially as set forth. a

5. The combination with a motor car, of a power-dri ven device for starting the engines of aeroplanes. comprising an augnlarly movable shaft adapted at one end for being geared to the engine shaft of the car, the other end of said shaft being provided with clutched to the hub of theacroplane propeller, substantially asset forth.

6. The combination with a motor car, of a power-driven device for starting the-engines 'of aeroplanes, comprising an angularly movable shaft adapted at. one end for being geared to the engine shaft of the car, the other end of said shaft being provided with a telescopic extension .thereof earl-yin a clutch member adapted to be detaclnilily clutched to the hub of the aeroplane propeller, and a spring conncctinglhe siaft and said telescopic extension tcndin at'nl] times to retract the latter, substantially as set forth. j I 7. The eombinationwith a motor car, of a lawyer-driven device for starting the engines of aeroplanes, comprising an a ularly movable shaft-adaptcd at one eiid v geared to the engine shaft of the car, the

other end of said shaft being provided with,

peller, and means for connecting the s aft' 'and telescopicextension forfrot'atlon in unison; substantially as' set forth.-.

- 8. The combination with a motor-car, of a power-driven device for starting the engines of aeroplanes, comprising an a nlarly movable. shaft adapted at one e i l geared to the engine shaft of the car, the other eml of said shaft lwingprovided with for" being' for being a telescopic extension thereof earrying-a clutch member adapted to be 'detachably clutched to the hub of the aeroplane propeller. a spring connecting the shaft and said telcsco )ic extension tending at all times to retraet tlie latter. and means adapted to automatically detach -the clutch from said hub and permit the'retraction of said extension by said spring when the speed of revolution of -the propeller exceeds that of said shaft and telescopic extension, si'lbstantialLv as set forth.

9. The combination with a motor car provided with a (ardan shaft adapted to be connected with the engine for driving the car, of a power-driven dev'icefor starting the engines of aeroplanes. comprising an an gularly movable shaft mounted above the chassis of the ear, adapted at one end to be detachably connected with the hub of the aeroplane propeller and a'nmnually controlled elutch for connecting the engine to drive, alternatively at will, ,snid Garden speed of the pro ller exceeds that of said aft, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a motor car, of

a power-driven device for starting the engines of aeroplanes, comprising an anguarly movable shaft sup orted on the car and adapted at one end to geared to the engine shaft of the car and provided, at the other end with'a telescopic shaft extension, a clutch member consisting of a cross-pin extendi diametrically of a ring mounted in gimh -bearings on the outer end of said shaft extension, ada ted to cooperate with a clutch member carried by the pro eller hub, consisting of a cylindrical fittin avin undercut notches for engaging sai pin, w ereby said clutch members ma become automatically disengaged when e speed of the propeller exceeds that of said shaft, and spri means tending to and adapted for swinging said shaft angularly about its support when said clutch members are thus (itsengaged, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a motor car, of a power-driven device for starting the en gines of aeroplanes, comprising an angnlarly *movable shaft supported on the car and adapted at one end to be geared to the engine shaft of the car and provided, at the other end with a telescopic shaft extension, a spring for, retracting said telescopic extension, a key and latch connection between said shaft and thetelescopio extrusion ada bed for holding said telescopic extension ully extended and to prevent rotation thereof relative to said shaft and a-clntrh member on the end of said telescopic extension adapted to be detachably connected with the hub of the p p eller for starting the aeroplane engine, s key and latch being adapted to be automatically disengaged and the telescopic extension withdrawn by said spring when the speed of the propeller exceeds that of said shaft, substantially as described/ 13. In a power-driven evice for starting the engines of aeroplanes, the combination with a motor mounted exteriorly of the aeroplane, of an angularly movable shaft adapted at one end to be geared to said motor and at the other end rovided with a clutch member adapted or cooperation with a clutch member secured to the hub of the aeroplane propeller said clutch members being adapted to maintain engagement whep said shaft is rotated by the motor for turning the propeller and starting the aeroplane engine and to become disengaged automaticall when the speed of the propeller exceed; that of said shaft, substantially as d escri bed BENTFIELD CHARLES HUCKS 

